title: Prevalence of hearing loss among Saudi type 2 diabetic patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare hearing impairment and audiometric shapes associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with an age-matched control group in the Saudi population.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is an observational case-control study at a tertiary academic referral center. We recruited 196 individuals (age; 29-69 years) attending the Department of Otolaryngology, King Abdulaziz University Hospital between January 2005 to December 2009, and grouped them into T2DM (n=109) and control (n=87) groups. We excluded patients with a history of noise exposure, conductive hearing loss, ototoxic medications, and a positive family history of hearing impairment. Age, gender, family history, duration of T2DM, current treatment, and presence of diabetic complications were noted. Pure tone hearing (in decibels [dB])was recorded. Data were statistically analyzed against the matched control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified a strong relationship between T2DM and low and mid frequencies hearing loss than the matched controls. A flat audiogram was the most common audiometric shape observed. Patients with associated diabetic complications were at a higher risk of hearing loss, while hyperglycemic control by insulin was also observed to be a risk factor for hearing loss.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The T2DM is strongly associated with hearing loss especially in the low and mid frequencies. Several factors including age, diabetes control by insulin, and presence of complications, may be risk factors for hearing loss in DM patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, King Abdulaziz University, PO Box 35135, Jeddah 21488, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Afaf H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Bamanie
authors.forename: Khaled I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Al-Noury
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology